DBM releases P290.4M to disaster-hit SUCs

MANILA, Philippines—The government has released P290.4 million for the rehabilitation of state universities and colleges (SUCs) whose facilities had been damaged by recent calamities.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said that this fund released to the Commission on Higher Education would cover 23 SUCs that were affected by the following: the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that shook the Visayas in 2013, the Zamboanga City siege also in 2013, and typhoons Labuyo, Odette, Santi, Sendong and Vinta.

The funding would be used to replace damaged equipment, rehabilitate water systems, as well as procure energy-saving devices and generator sets, the DBM said.

Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The P290.4 million was taken from the 2014 Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Fund (RRF).

The beneficiary-SUCs and their shares of the funding were as follows: Apayao State College (P11.347 million); Ifugao State University (P19.35 million); Batanes State College (P10.245 million); Nueva Vizcaya State University (P56.84 million); Quirino State University (P2.244 million); Cagayan State University (P7.596 million); Aurora State College of Technology (P3.088 million); Ramon Magsaysay Technological University (P3.134 million); Pampanga Agricultural College (P5.767 million); Tarlac State University (P3.97 million); Tarlac College of Agriculture (P12.232 million); and Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (P56.346 million).

Also to receive funding were: Bohol Island State University (P39.411 million); Siquijor State College (P1.554 million); Negros Oriental State University (P3.5 million); Zamboanga State College of Marine Science and Technology (P4 million); Zamboanga City State Polytechnic College (P34 million); Misamis Oriental College of Agriculture and Technology (P2.15 million); Bukidnon State University (P3.187 million); Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology (P3.2 million); Surigao del Sur State University (P1.895 million); Sulu State College (P1.8 million); and Adiong Memorial Polytechnic State College (P3.550 million).

Last May, 35 SUCs received P987.3 million also under the 2014 RRF, which has a total allocation of P3 billion.

“The Aquino administration’s efforts to repair damaged public facilities are only some of the ways through which we’re improving access to quality education. The country is prone to calamities and man-made crises, so it’s even more important for us to ensure the safety and continuing education of our college and university students in our state-run schools,” Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad said.

“These repair activities are also preemptive, in the sense that our SUCs will be better prepared for future disasters or possible power shortages. The fund release isn’t therefore just a release. It’s most certainly an important investment towards better tertiary education,” Abad added.